Improvement in car-couplings



JOSEPH B. TRACY.

Improvement in Car Coupling.

Patented Dec. 12,1871.

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- NI'IED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JOSEPH B. TRACY, OF LINCOLN, DELAWARE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,823, dated December12, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH B. TRACY, of Lincoln, county of Sussex, andState of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOar-Couplings; of which the following is a specification, enablingothers skilled in the art to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and strongcar-coupling, that may be automatically coupled without endangering thelives of the brakeman and others; and also a means for uncoupling thesaid coupling by a simple and very powerful arrangement of levers and itconsists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the parts, allof which will be more fully described in the following specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisspecification.

Figure 1 is a plan view, showing the couplings in position when coupled.Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of one coupling. Fig. 3 is an end view of thesame.

In the drawing, A A represents the jaws of the couplings, with theirfaces slightly curved, and having bent arms or extensionsA, by whichthey are pivoted at a a to the bumper pieces B B that are secured underthe platforms of the cars in the usual manner. The face ends of thesebumpers are plated with angular metal pieces 0 11 having an elongation,N, on one side which slides under the bent arms or extensions of thejaws, thereby assisting in holding them up in their proper positions.Immediately behind the pieces I), and pivoted to the bent arms of thejaws, are the pieces 0, shown best in Fig. 2 at 0, around the upper endsof which, and bearing on the bumpers, are arranged the springs 0, havinga tendency to draw and hold the jaws and bumpers together. At theirfront ends the jaws may be cut out for the reception of the commonlinks, provided one car having the old fashioned binnpers should have tobe'coupled to a car having my improved coupling. Immediately behind thejaws are arranged sliding pieces D, and pass through the side of thejaw. These pieces D have a flattened head, d, at one end, and arepivoted to a lever, E, at the other, which has its fulcrum in a piece,0, bolted to the lower side of thejaw A. The object of this lever andslide piece is to uncouple the cars, even when in motion, and with thecars pulling upon the jaws. It will be very readily seen that thefulcrum being very short and lever very long, the power exerted upon thelever will be multiplied a great many times, and thus, by exerting apowersay of one hundred pounds-on the end of the lever, it being tentimes that of the fulcrum, a force oftwo thousand pounds can be exertedupon the jaws through the slide piece D, and the cars very easilyuncoupled.

The operation is as follows: When two cars provided with my couplingsare brought together the jaws, sliding upon their curved faces, are byforce opened, the springs 0 being compressed un til the ends of saidjaws pass each other, when, by the expansion of the springs, they are,of course, brought and held together. By the springs, enough play isalso allowed the jaws for any vibrations of the cars. When it is desiredto uncouple the cars, all that is necessary is to bring the lever tobear, and they are easily uncoupled. When the cars are coupled, it willbe understood that the jaws are held in contact by their cross-sectionaldraft.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim. and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s

1. The lever E and slide D, in combination with the jaws and bumpers,constructed and ar ranged substantially as and for the purpose hereinset forth.

3. The arrangement of the bumpers B B, having pieces I) b, springs c,and pieces (1, the pivoted jaws A A, the slide D, and lever E, when allthese parts are constructed and operated substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

JOSEPH B. TRACY.

J. W. HUNT. (122)

